Metal fabric.



N. E. CLARK.

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. L1049475. Patented July 21, 1914 Fig. i

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Specification of Letters intent.

PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT.,

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Patented July 21, 1914.

lApplication led October 1909. Serial No. 522,734.

Be it known that I, Norms ELMORE CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainville, in the county of Hartfordandtate of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements infME-etal Fabrics,l of which the following isf a specification. My invention relates particularly to whatis termed expandedl metal.

The principal ob'ects Aare to give greater rigidity tothe `pro uct, increase its holding powerA and value for such uses asi plaster and. concrete work and facilitate its manufacture.

My Patent #930,350 dated August 10th, 1909, shows a fabric of the general character to which the resent invention relates. I

Such a fabric has, integral with the reticulated portions, one or more strips usually running len liw'iseI of the sheet ,which constitute tension members and which for con- `v'enience l will term rods although 1 do -not wish to be limited by use of that term 1 to any particular cross sectional shape of strip. @ften the fabric has three or more of these rods alternating with the expanded portions and usually a rod on each edge or margin of the sheet.

The particular point to this invention lies in the corrugation or crimping of these rods in a direction transverse or cross-wise of their lengthsso as to stifl'en the rods, avoid broad dat surfaces and prevent buckling and irregularityl in making.

Figure 1, shows a plan view of a fragment of fabric embodying my invention Fig. 2, is an end view thereof. Fig. 3, is an edge view showing the corrugated side rod. Fig. 4:, is a transverse section of a fabric of my invention with the side rods turned edge- Wise to the plane of the fabric. Fig. 5, is a detail transverse section showing an intermediate rod turned edgewise to the plane-of the fabric. Fig. 6, is a detail transverse section` showing a rod formed of a flat strip bent into a channel-like form.

The fabric shown in Fig. 1 has rods f1, 2 and 3 with intermediate expanded portions4 4 and 5. Each expanded portion in the particular form shown is composed of a .series f zig-zag bent strands such as 6, 7 and 8 which integrally connect the adjacent rods suchas 1 and 2. Adjacent strands are integrally connected together preferably at aA ranged on edge. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 all the rod's 1,- 2 and 3 lie generally in the plane of the fabric. The rods are crimped or corrugated transversely as at 11 and 12. The corrugations need not be the same size and shape in thev -dii'erent rods. -For instance the corrugations 11 in the marginal or side rods such as 1 may be small and close together while the `'corru ations 12 in the interior rods such as 2 an 3 may be farther apart.- The corrugations 12, 12 I have shown as at or near the point of junction of the strands 6, 7, etc., with the rod 2. This location permits lt-he strands to be bent easier and with less danger of fracture.

Thefabric of Fig. 4 has the side rods 13 i and 111 turned edgewise and theintermediate or interior rods 15, 16 and 17 in the general .plane of the fabric.

ln Fig. 5, l have shown an intermediate rod18 turned on edge.

lln Fig. 6, l have shown a channel-like -vrod 19. rllhese are simply to illustrate some of the different kinds of rods which may be lemployed in fabrics of my invention. They are all adapted to form longitudinal tension membersor beams in concrete, cement, and plaster work. Dierent forms will be used .depending upon the use to which it is to vbe put or the method of manufacture or the weight of fabric desired. rlhe transverse corrugations stiften the rods and increase the holding power in plaster and concrete work. They also avoid ythe formation of lines of cleavage which are likely to occur when the rods have broad, flat or unbroken surfaces. @Expanded metal is usually formed by slitting or cutting stock so as to form strands connected in staggered arrangement. rll`hese strands are pandin By giving uniform transverse corrugations plurality of points such as 9- and 10 and arl bent either in the operation of slitting or in loo relative to the longitudinal axes of the rods may be varied within considerably wide limits and the degree or extent of corrugation may be varied accordin -to the` necessities of the case as determined for instance by the character and thickness of metal, the angle'of slitting, the method and degree of expansion and the mechanism employed. Iw'vish it understood that so far as the broader claims are concerned I do not consider the invention as limited to the particular design, arrangement and details illustratedherein.

It is preferred to have the strands ar ranged on edge and to have the general direction of the strands in adjacent expanded portions inclined in opposite directions relative to the longitudinal axes of the rods. This affords shelves or keys in all directions so .that plaster can be appliedA more readily'and. Will adhere. When the rods lie generally in the plane of the fabric lthe transverse corrugations increase the effective thickness. of the rodsl so that the fabric is of more nearly a uniform thickness throughout.

. What I claim is 1.' The improved expanded metal having one ormore sections thereof in the form of expanded meshes, and one or more non-expanded sections integral with the first and made with shortenings by which its length is equalized with that of the expanded section.

2. The improved expanded metal having one or more sections thereofl in the.form of expanded meshes, and one or more non-expanded sections integral with the expanded section and corrugated at an angle to the length thereof whereby such length is equalized with that of the expanded section.

3.'The improved sheet metal formed into a series of sections, alternately expanded nand non-expanded, the non-expanded sections ribbed and having i shortenin bv which their length is equalized with t at of the expanded sections.

4. f lhe improved sheet metal formed into a serles of. sections, alternately expanded and non-expanded, the non-expanded sections ribbed and beinlg corrugated transversely of the length t ereof whereby such length is reduced.

5. An expanded metal fabric comprising parallel rods of entire metal corrugated at intervals transversely throughout their lengths -and expanded portions integrally connecting said rods.

6. An expanded metal fabric comprising a plurality of longitudinal-rods of entire metal corrugated transversely of their lengths and an expanded portion integrally connecting each two adjacent rods.

7. An expanded metal fabric comprising parallel rods of entire metal corrugated transversely, and a series of zigzag bent strands integrall connecting adjacent rods, the strands of adjacent sections being oppositely inclined, the corrugations of some of the rods being at the points of connection of the strands.

8. An expanded metal fabric consisting of parallel marginal strips of entire metal and integrally connecting expanded sections, the marginal strips being corrugated transversely to their length.

9. A reinforcing material for cement and concrete work consisting of longitudinal strips of entire metal corrugated transversely of their lengths and providing alter- NoRRIs ELMORE cLAni' Witnesses:

L. F. CHAPIN, A. V. BRocx. 

